RCBC unveils banking services in a remote Philippine island

Inhabitants of Turtle Island will now have access to RCBC’s deposit and digital payment services.

Philippine-based bank RCBC has extended its physical-digital or “phygital” rural banking services to the remote area of Turtle Island, Tawi-Tawi.

The introduction of RCBC ATM Go marks the first actual deployment of a bank in the island municipality, RCBC said.

RCBC ATM Go will offer Turtle Island’s residents with a suite of banking services, from balance inquiry, withdrawal, intra-bank and inter-bank funds transfer, bills payments, e-loading, and opening of accounts. 

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Turtle Island is posited at the southwestern tip of the Philippines and is a brief 30-minute boat ride from Sabah, Malaysia. Turtle Island currently has a population of 7,000 residents, with 3,000 beneficiaries under the 4Ps program. 

Notably, the municipality has historically faced challenges with its residents traveling to BARMM for banking needs, incurring costs and physical burdens, according to RCBC.

RCBC also expects the digital solution to streamline the distribution of benefits of the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), offering residents a more accessible and efficient platform for social amelioration withdrawals.